


Remedy

by astraplain



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 22:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4037257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astraplain/pseuds/astraplain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A late night visitor supplies Kurt with a cure for what ails him</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remedy

**Author's Note:**

> Finn-related angst. Not Blaine-friendly.

“Here, try this.” A hand holding a clear glass of fizzing liquid entered Kurt’s field of vision and he lurched backward, nearly hitting his head on the wall. “Careful,” the familiar voice insisted.

“Finn?” Kurt stared up at the solid figure of his late brother. He kept staring even as the person who could not possibly be his brother offered the glass again.

“This will make you feel better. When Kurt still didn’t take the glass, Finn sighed and knelt beside him. It was awkward and there really wasn’t room for the two of them on the floor in front of the toilet but Kurt was too confused and miserable to move.

"Just a sip,” Finn urged, pressing the glass against Kurt’s mouth and managing to spill at least as much down Kurt’s front as he got into Kurt’s mouth. “Sorry about that. Just drink it.”

Kurt finally took the glass, swallowing a little more of the liquid before making a face and downing the rest. He shuddered at the chalky taste but he already felt better.

“I know you hate it,” Finn said with a frown of apology, “but it works. Deep fried jalapeno cheesecake - what were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. I just–” Kurt trailed off, wilting under Finn’s too-familiar scrutiny. They had learned a lot about each other in the brief time they had as brothers. “I wasn't in the mood to hear Blaine whine,” Kurt finally confessed.

“Not worth blowing up your stomach.” Finn’s rebuke was mild, but Kurt felt his chest tighten with guilt. Finn didn’t have to say it outright for Kurt to know this was about more than Blaine forcing Kurt to eat food that made him sick.

“No, it wasn’t.” Kurt sighed. Closing his eyes he leaned his head against the wall and tried not to think about the many things he had done lately just to keep the peace with Blaine.

“You feeling better enough to go back to your room?” Finn rose soundlessly and leaned down to help Kurt up. “Nice sweats.”

“Thanks,” Kurt mumbled, glancing down to confirm he was wearing one of the pairs of Finn’s old sweats that he’d kept. They were too big, but the drawstring waist kept them from falling off, and Kurt liked tucking his bare feet up into the long legs.

His bedding was rumpled from where Kurt had been lying down, hoping to calm his stomach after the ridiculous meal Blaine had served. The entire night had been a disaster and they’d only made it through without fighting because Kurt had backed down every time Blaine got upset.

“You probably shouldn’t have warm milk after - you know - but water should be okay.” Finn offered a half-full glass of cool water and Kurt accepted it gratefully.

They sat in silence for a while. Finn looked around, taking in the few small changes in Kurt’s old room while Kurt sipped water and weighed his questions. When he’d downed most of the water and his stomach hadn’t objected, Kurt set the glass down and leaned forward. He touched the back of Finn’s hand and frowned when he felt warm skin.

“I don’t want to scare you away but–” Kurt couldn’t bring himself to finish the question, afraid that Finn would vanish and Kurt would find himself on the bathroom floor still battling that cheesecake.

“I’ll be here until you fall asleep.” Finn’s big smile was exactly the comfort and reassurance Kurt needed.

“Will I remember this in the morning?”

“Probably. Kinda like a dream, though.” Finn shrugged. “I’m not sure how this works, I just know that you needed me tonight.”

“I’ve needed you for a while,” Kurt confessed, looking down to hide the tears that were blurring his vision.

“I know,” Finn admitted quietly as he touched Kurt’s chin and gently lifted his face so that they could look at each other. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Kurt asked, practically choking on the word as his silent tears became body-wracking sobs. He wrapped his arms around himself and hunched over, feeling as if he was trying to expel something blacker and more vile than a bad meal.

Strong arms pulled him forward against a warm chest. Kurt could feel Finn’s breath and smell his familiar scent. It was too real and too desperately needed for Kurt to fight so he let himself be held and comforted. It had been far too long.

Memories of Adam slipped in, like bits of sunshine through dark clouds. Holding hands. Kissing. Licking cookie dough off sensitive skin. 

Walking away.

Kurt’s entire body shook with the force of his grief. In place of sobs there was the raw grasp of air followed by a too long silence, repeated over and over as Kurt purged.

Far in the distance he could hear Finn singing. The words, the comfort, Finn's presence - none of it made sense but Kurt held onto it with every bit of his strength. 

“Tale as old as time,” Finn sang, his voice soft and only a little off-key. Kurt had finally calmed but still hadn’t spoken. Finn’s shirt was wet and there was a pile of crumpled tissues beside him on the bed.

“Beauty and the beast,” Kurt chimed in, his voice deep and raw. After a moment he sat up and wiped his eyes. Finn offered him another tissue and Kurt laughed, a short, startled sound.

“Beauty and the beast,” Kurt repeated thoughtfully. After a moment he looked at Finn but didn’t smile. “Not too far from the truth, is it? The only question is which of us is the beast - Blaine or me?”

“You know the answer,” Finn replied easily, taking Kurt’s chin gently and turning Kurt’s face slightly to the side as if posing him for a picture. He dropped his hand and pressed it against Kurt’s heart.

“Not a beauty at the moment,” Kurt confessed, placing both his hands over Finn's where it still rested on Kurt’s chest. “Outside or in.”

“No one’s a saint, Kurt.” Finn pulled his hand away and Kurt let him. “You don’t get points for being a martyr either.”

“I’m not trying to be either,” Kurt snapped before visibly deflating. “Sorry. I just…" He shook his head and didn’t meet Finn’s eyes. "Everyone–”

“Stop there, dude,” Finn’s voice didn’t change, but it had a sharpness that Kurt wasn’t used to. “You gotta do what’s right for you.” He tapped Kurt’s chest over his heart. “You used to know that.”

“I did,” Kurt looked away, as if seeing something in the distance. “A long time ago.”

“That’s why I had to visit,” Finn teased. “You needed a reminder.”

“I did.” Kurt choked on the simple phrase.

“So,” Finn moved his hand to Kurt’s hand and playfully tugged at the ring. “Give back the hardware and get the hell out of Lima. There’s a British guy in New York with way too many cookies in his freezer.”

“They’re not for me,” Kurt replied, looking down at his engagement ring.

“They’ve got your name on them,” Finn insisted. “A whole container of those fancy shortbreads with the sprinkles.”

“You’ve seen Adam’s freezer?” Kurt scoffed, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Yup. Dude needs to defrost. There’s something wrapped in foil in the back that's gonna need dynamite to get loose.”

“I remember that.” Kurt laughed. “It’s the liver his mother bought the last time she visited. Adam intended to throw it away when she left but by then it was stuck.”

Kurt wilted a little before admitting, “I promised to help him defrost when I got back from Lima but I–” he lifted his hand a little then dropped it into his lap.

“So go back to New York, get some cleaning supplies and show up at his door. It's not too late to fix this.” Finn gestured around the room, “It’s not too late to fix everything.” Softer but with urgency he added, “I promise.”

The words sank into Kurt, filling him with a sense of warmth that he’d been missing for a long time.

“I promise,” Finn repeated, leaning forward to take Kurt’s hands. “Go home. Adam’s waiting.”

“I will. Thank you,” Kurt whispered, feeling the tears welling again. They weren’t for himself this time, not completely. They were for Finn. For Adam. For the future that Kurt had already mourned.

“You’re welcome, little brother,” Finn said, leaning forward to kiss Kurt’s forehead. “Sleep. I’ll be watching out for you.”

“Love you, Finn.” It didn’t matter if this was just a hallucination, Kurt needed to say the words. Finn’s smile was so bright and real that Kurt had to reach out and touch him one more time.

“Sleep, Kurt. Big day tomorrow.” 

Kurt nodded, his eyes closing no matter how hard he tried to stay awake. Dream or not, Kurt knew he wouldn’t forget this. First thing in the morning he was booking a flight to New York. He’d have the entire flight to decide what to say when he arrived on Adam’s doorstep with a tin of Adam’s favorite tea and a long overdue apology.

 

::end::


End file.
